Excavating-machine.



- 0. L. LILLEBERG; EXYGAVATING 111101111111.

APPLIOATIONI'I LBD JUNE 8, 1908. 990,487. Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

12 SH BETW-SHEET 2.

0. L; LI-LLEBERG. EXGAVATING MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNEQB; 1908.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

12 SHEETSSHEET 3 O. L. LILLEBERG. EXGAVATING MACHINE.

I APPLICATION .IILED JUNHB, 1908. 990,487, Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

. I 12 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

G. L. LILLEBERG.

EXGAVATING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE e, 1906.

1; fm mm 08 2 .RM f WM K, mm n G. L. LILLEBERG". EXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE a, 1908.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

l2 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Eh have; I I fok ywww ofiflrzw 35275359 C. L. LILLEBERG.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION 11,111) JUNE 8, 190a.

Patehted Apr. 25, 1911.

12 SHEETSSHEET 7.

C. L. LILLEBERG. EXCAVATI'NG MACHINE. APPLICATION TILED JUNE a, 1906.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

12 BHEET8SHEET 8.

G. L LILLEBERG. EXGAVATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE a, 1908.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

12 SHEETSSHEET 10 llIIIIIIIPIIIIIIIZZIHII Iilllll Illl llll G. L. LILLEBERG. EXGAYATING MACHINE.

- I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 190a. 990,481 Patented Apr. 25, 1911. I 12 SHEETS-SHEET 11.

)69 70 O 2y-1 5 b 8a C. L. LILLEBERG. EXGAVATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 190a.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

12 SHEETS-SHEET 12.

Wzaivzuv CHARLES L. LILLEBERG,

or CHICAGO, rnnmoxs.

EXCAVATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Le'tters lfatent.

Application filed June 8, 1908. Serial 110.437.244.

To all whom it mmyiconoem. I Mlle it known that "I, Gnanniis L. LiLnn- BERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the coun'ty'of'Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin EXcavating-ldachines, of which the following is a full, 1 clear, concise, and exactv description, refer- 1 once being had to the accompanying draw- 1 ings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates -to excavating orl dredging machines, and, in its preferred embodrntcnt, is adapted for use both upon lower portion of the structure shown in Fig.

l l land and water, though there are characterilstic's of my invention that are adaptable/l for use upon land and water separately, and Ido-not, therefore, limit my invention to a machine which is adapted for use both upon land and water. I I

The machine of my invention has a great l many features'bf novelty and utility which i cannot well be explained'in a general introduction, and I'will, therefore, explain my invention in detail in connection with one embodimentthereof, it being particularly I understood that I do not limit myself to the l embodiment of my invention whichl'have l selected'for explanation.

l In thedrai'vings, showing the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a i plan view of the front portion of an excaa-ting machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rear portion of the machine. Figs. 1 and l '2 taken together being a plan view of the i entire machine. Fig. 3 is a side elevation l of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation. partially in secl tion, of the rear portion of the machine, the I view being taken on line a, a of Fig. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevationon line I) I) of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on line 0 c of Fig; i. Fig. 7 is a front View of the machine. on an enlarged scale as compared. with the other Views. Fig. 8 is-a ver-' 1103i sectional view of a portion of the structure illustrated in Fig. 7 Fig. 8 being taken on line (1 (lot Fig. 1. Fig. 9 isa sectional elevation online a c of Fig. 1, but onan on; larged scale as compared with Fig. 1. Fig; 10 is a side elevation of the cent'al and tion of the app-.ratus. Fig. 19 is a plan new ofthe apparatus shown in Fig. 11. Fig.- 13 is a VIBW'OU an enlarged scaie of a I Fig. 18 is a view on line elevation on line Z Z of Fig. 11.

Fig. 11 is a sectional eleva on of a pot;

portion of the mechanism appearing in Fig.

5. Fig.v 11, is a plan view of. the structure appearing 1n Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a view on an enlarged scale of a lower portion of the structure appearing in Fig. 6. Fig.'1'6 is a plan View of the parts appearing in Fig. 5. Fig. 17 is a view on "line g g of Fig. 15..

enlarged scale. Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view on line '2 i of Fig. 1. .Fig. 20 is a plan View of a part of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1,21 part of the structure appearing in Fig. 20 being taken on line It: 7; of Fig. 5. Fig. 21 is a side elevation of the structural parts appearing in Fig. 20, additional structural parts being also shown in Fig. 21. Fig. 22 is an end view of the structureillustrated in Figs. 13 and 14. Fig. 23 is a view of a sprocket wheel and chain construction entering into com-eyer mechanism that I preferably employ. Fig. 9A isa sectional Patented Apr. 2.3.1911. 1 v

h h of Fig; 1 on an 1 Like parts are indicated by similar chara eters of reference throughout the different figures. v

The main frame work of the machine comprises intermediate longitudinally disposed rails 1 2-, the outer longitudinally disposed rails 3 4,.suitably joined to the intermediate rails 1 2, as by means of struts 5 6, and transversely disposed rails 7 8 that unite the intermediate longitudinal rails 1 2. The frame elements described may e composed,

if desired, ofI-heams laid upon their sides, I

though the material of which these frame portions 18 made is not of the essence of my mvention. I prefer I-beams, as they afford very great strength with comparatively small bulk, whereby I am enabled to prov'ide large spaces between the frame elements that permit of the disposition'and operationof the various machine elements that enter into my improved apparatus.

The machine of my invention 1S adapted for operation upon dry land and also when it is in the water, its operation, when within water. being substantially the same as its operation when upon dry land, except in so far as water may modify the soil conditions. and the means for supporting the machine while in operation are, therefore, the

same whet-her or not the machine is upon dry land.

-'lhere are two traction wheels 9 9 at the forward. portion of the. maclnne taking part in the support of the main frame work thereof and the parts carried by the mam frame work, and two traction wheels 10 at diameter and is provided withsuitable traction cleats 11,'in order to give the traction wheels purchase upon thesoil over which they are moving. Each of the-forward traction Wheels is mounted to rotate-upon a nonrotating journal 12 constituting the horizon tal extension of a shaft 13 that is adapted for vertical movement between a pair of rollers 14. The two pairs of rollers 14 are mounted upon a yoke lfi'provided with pastsageways through which the vertical shafts :13 may move, the yoke lo'earrying a shaft 16 which constitutes a pivotal shaft forthc rocker 17 that is mounted midway bet ween its ends upon the shaft. 16. The outer ends ofthe rocker 17 are pivotally connected with 'the elbows that are constituted by the junc- 'tion of the journals 1'2 with the vertical shafts 13. The journals or stub shafts 12 are thus adapted for bodily movement about the horizontal axis afforded by the shaft 16 carried by the yoke 15, the vertical shafts 13 working between the rollers 14 and acting in cooperation with their pivotal connections with the rocking plate 17, serving to keep the traction wheels 9 in vertical planes. the mechanism thus described one of the wheels 9 may occupy any reasonable position higher or lower than the other of the wheels 9 without causing the removal of the wheels fl from their vertical planes.

It will beseen by reference to the drawings that the, main support for the front portion of the machine is afforded by the shaft 16 that extends longitudinally of the n1a chine and upon which rests the rocking plate 17 that, in turn, rests upon the stub shafts or journals 12 which, in turn. rest upon the traction wheels 9, the plate 17 that takes part in the support of the forward end of the machine being mounted to swing in a vvertical plane transverse to th't 'line of'travcl of the machine and being pivolally connected at its outer ends with the vertically. moving shafts .13, hrorder that the wheels 9, while acting to support the machine, may also be permitted of vertical displacement with respect to each other without impairing their function of supporting the forward end of the machine and Without havingsaid wheels removed from the vertical planes in which .they should rotate.

The direction that the machine is to take 'is controlled by the position of'the wheels 9 with respect to the mainframe work of the l I i so that it may move about a vertical axi which vertical axis is desirably afforded by means of a vertical shaft 18 (Figs. 1 and that passes through the yoke ears 1.) and the forward end of the sub frame 20 that is nor-- mally fixed in position with respect to the main frame but whose position with respect to the main frame is rendered adjustable by means of apparatus hereinafter to be dc scribed. it sufiicing for the present lostatc that the sub frame 20 is jonrnaled at each of its sides upon a shaft 21 (Figs. 5. Q0 and 21) that is mounted upon the main frame. whereby the sub frame 20 may be elevated or lowered at its front end, so that the position of the yoke 15 may be adjusted with respect to the main frame of the machine whereby the forward cud of the main frame may be raised or lowered with |'l.-|) l' to the traction wheels U. which is desirable upon relative change in the levels of the soil upon which the front whecls f and the rear wheels rest. Suitable mechanism is provided whereby the yoke may be swung about its shaft 18 irrespective of the position to which the sub frame is swung upon its shafts 21; which mechanism includes rack bars 22 in suitable gear relation with drivmg gearing and pivotally connected with links 23 disposed between the outer ends and upper portions of the yoke '15. y the operation of suitable gearing, these rack bars may be moved s;n'mltancously, one in one direction and the other in the opposite diree- .shafts 25 that are provided upon the main frame work of the machine, each shaft 25 being between the ends of the support 2-'l-. Upon the rear end of each support Qi is provided the associate traction wheel 10. At the forward end of eaclrsupporl 21- is provided suitable mechanism for swinging it about its supporting shaft 25 (which mechanism will be referred .0 later), wherefby the position of the rear end of the mam fran'ie may be vertically determined with respect to the traction wheels 10. Thus by suitable adjustment of the frame :20 24, the level of the main frame of the machine may be ni'aintained irrespective of the levels of the ground upon which the wheels 9 10 are rolling.

As the machine shown in the present eml'iodnnent of my invention is one'of large proportions l desirably drive the traction of the sub-frame 20. I

wheels indiridu'ally, any suitahlje'ihfeel anisiii being employflble for accomplishing this purpose. I: have diagrammatically; indi eated fou'r motors 25, one in. association with each tractloniwheel. The motors "thatare in assoeiation' w-ith. tl1e;'trac tion wheels 9 driye; sprocket- -ehziinsjgQG through the 1110-,

dium ,of-fl gearing which need 1 not be sped ideseribed; which sprocket chains 2G enga ejzsproeket vheels 27 each traction whee 9'having two suchsproeketwheelshe wherel'riz' the desired level othcmain frarn'e .of :the 'n1ach1ne' may benmalntained. that- 'hicht-he' associate traetion wheel is with each longitudinal side of thesuh frame -20,w.hich worm-wheel is providedwith a .vertically:depending .shaft- 31 tl1a t is .in -threadedengagement with the rear end of .thecorresponding longitudinal side of the sub frame20. 'VVhen-thework wheels 30 are motor-driven. the shafts 31 are rotated, the

' frame QOheing rotated in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction aecording, to the d rections ofrotation that .are given to the .wheels 30. I I have-shown hut one motor 31. which turns a shaft 32 that is'in driving relatiouwith thewheels 30, one motor 31:

- beingsnflir-ient inasmuch as thesuh fran'w-ZO is an integral structure that isto have all of its 'parts'moved together. The threaded engagement that.- is afl'ordedbetween the vertical shaftsl.31. -an'd'the suh .frame 20 is desirably atl'orded through the intermediation of the. nuts 32- savingmgly m umted upon the sub frame 20. The motor-operated mecha- .1-separat motor 33-is provided for each frame.

nis1n' for adjusting the mountings 24 of'the rearwheels .10 is substantially thesame as thatdescribed in connection with Figs. '1, 118,19, 20 and'21, with the exception that a -i2i inas'much as said frames are to be inde- -peudently regulahler These motors 33 are I 1 1' gearing relation-with 'horizontallydisposedkworm wheels 34 that donot depend efor theirdriring 11.lation\\'ith the motor 33 upon a coiinnoirsliaft such the shaft 32 but which wheels 34hareau'assoeiation withthe frames 24 similar to the association of the wheels 30 with the longitudinal memhers I t will beseen that l hare provided an er- XSe were; length of the frame work, the" .1'1als. that .gnld n'g members to w ournals are work adapted t 's\ order that eerta'in ohjects that il hare-inf" in ne two j 4 the lwheels wlii'eli 'nmunttngjs adapted to;

swi'ngin-asub tially vertical lane trans said ifioi'i'n't ng', ichsa d des; ei'lga'gin' said said mounting lind liaviiig an 'axis'of rotatron whr 1 fiu tt i t il iiJ amalgam conneetion l' .tu ei tl ie yolte aiidftlieffraine ring with respect tof theframe, work in afplaiie whielris suh'sta iitiallj rei't iea l sai d connection having a 11'11'ib1 witi1 said yol te that periiiit s jthe yoke to swing with ref to said eciian,fa'na there ';'85' by with i'fei'eneelto tliesaid frarn w r (1'. j Before deserihing} tlieh iliaratus that I employ for i'emoring' the soil. l' "\i'ill'-'deserilie= the instrumentalities liy 'whi"ch ftlieentireiap paratu's ina he floated, in "i'rdertl ilj it inay"-'.')O"

be readily inored um-11; the "wat'e and in hefulfill edf s ne of the objects "of '11'1y inve11't'io1rte hare the-traetioir wheels 9-10 aetas floats- \\-'l'1e11ei'er*'itis desird to lia iv edhe"inaehine supported by water. to whi'cli'eml-each of: the traction wheels desirahlyhfis the 'con-' structiouillustrated most (clearly lli- Fig. '8

which showsa traction wheel made with a"- large hollow \\-'ater tigl 1t interior. A'w'a teru eduetion pipe 35 leadsthroufi'lithe "station-ff arr shaft 120i the t1. 1etio1'1wheel that may he eonneet ed with a suitable pump 36 for the "i purpose of drawing 'watorfrom' th'e interit'nof: the trartitni wheel 'and of supplyingwater thoreto. An air're'ut pipe 3'7 isprorided'iir rounrmnieatiou between the interior of the wheel and the external ail-I 1-10 When' it is desired to have the" traction wheels roll upon the soil, risen-1min; them-a chine to lie-in a' body of may, theinteriors of said wheels 'are." sufiiciently fi-lledwit-h water. 1 \Vhen it is desired to float. tho machino, the water is sutliciently withdrawn from the interiors of'said wheels. The'si'def water uponthe outsideof :t ho iihoel will not eoilapso the wheel. This stiffening: desirably 7 resides in rihs'll. made of ai'1gle.-iron,.whieh f oxtendlnot only-along theiiiiner faces offthe' disk walls of the wheels, but also alongthe-lzi peripheral wall ofthe. wheels; -,I also pr'oride flotation tanks or-floats 38 upon the sides of the'machine, which floats are de-l partying machinery i)f the excavator, wheels sirahly in the ,form of air-tight :compartments wh'iehmay be eleyated andlowered, 1'30 -10 dry land as well as upon waterbottoms.

the floats being elevated when the machine is to descend and bcmsr lowered when the machine is'to be floated.

Eachf'of the flotation tanks 38 constitutes 5 a ;unit of a float structure. allot the tanks together constituting a floatstructure. Any suitable means may be employed for eflect-;

.in the vertical movement ofthe flotation" tanks. Ihave,provkled'theflotation tankswith rack bars 39 that" are adapted to be moi ed up and down in'sui'table groo\'eways provided upon the sides of the main frame of themachine, these rack bars being engaged by driving pinions 40, that havesta .If. tionary axes of" rotation and which are driven by means of motors. 41 in suit-able 3.: faring relation with the driving pinions 40.

By means of the traction .wheels and the. flotation. tanks'and the mechanism cooperat;

it). ingr therewith, I am enabled'to float the structure when it is desired to-transportit machine and prevent it. from sinking.

lt. has been hitherto stated that the ma? chine'ot my invention is to be operated upon dry land'as well as in the water, and the provision of the, flotation tanks 38. and the 135 hollow traction wheels 9 does not interfere with the use otthe machine upon dry land;

1 term any-apparatus an excavating machinef. thereby meaning that the machine is adapted for excavating operations .upon

in the normal operation .of theeXcavatin outfit, the floats orilotation tanks 38 are in an. elevated position, so that; the traction .whcels may rest upon the ground, but if the '45 traction wheels or any of them should not find lodgment upon the ground, then'the necessary number of flotation tanks are allowed to descend. so that the support which a traction \vhecl'or wheels may lackis com V pcnsatcd for by'the float nwchanism. \Vben the floats or llotat'ion tanks are lo\\'ered,they are placed 'in thcir lower position, bymeans of the gearing mechanism which prevents the driving pinions -l(l from being operated- '5 by the floats, these driving pinions 40 being:

adapted for ope ation only by the motors; The flotation tanks are'securedat their infner sides to the'lowcrportions of, the rack bars 39, the outer sides of the flotation tanks beingsecnred to the upper portions of the rackbars by means of bracing 42..

The apparatus thus far described is one which marks a great improvement-fin the art of excavating machinery, and while I support excavating machinery ofa' novel natureupon-the outfit that has been de scribed, I.d o not wish to be limited in all embodiments of. the.inventio'n to. the character of the excavating mechanism that is carried by the described structure.

In accordance with another feature of my for the purpose of breaking the soil, so'that the soil-removing mechanism that Icmploy may more readily pcrfornn its function. There-is preferably a plurality ofindepend ently operating I breaking mechanisms, for I- desire to have each. braking mcchanism work within a comparatively narrow space, and by making the breaking mechanisms opsarily shared by the other breaking. mecha- ..nisms,- wlxereby th'e soi'l mgroimd which may be broken is not prevented from. being 'brokembeicause onekir'mcre of the breaking-- mechanisms encounter unbreakable ground.

provide these breakers for preparing the groundior-the digging operation which is "to follow, and in carrying out the prt-rsent object 'of my invention, the breaking mecha: nisms or breakers are atthe front portion of the machine and the mechanismthat is pro vided for removing thesoil that has been broken is disposed ata-rear portion of the machine; I also provide grappling mechanism whereby obstacles that are not. readily displaceable by the' soil-removing mechanism may be removed from the path of such latter mechanism, the grappling mechanism being interposed between the breakers and the soil-removing mechanism, inasmuch as the breakers may aid in detecting the-obstafclcsthat are not readily removable by the soil-removing mechanism.

' 1n the n'eferred embodiment otmy 111-- illustrated most elearly-inFig's. 13. 14.- and 22 and illustrated generally inFigs. .1, 3 :and 5. I'llttVQ'1llllStIi'ltG(l (FlfI. 1) four abreast ar placed between'the longitudinal sides '1 2 of the main frame. though I. do not wish to be limited to .the number vo-t breakers that are employed. Each of these breakers includes a pair of arms -13 -whose lower "ends are. pro ided with downwardly claiv which-is made of hardsteel and-.is detaehably secured between the 'parallel members of the hooks :44. A link 46 is pivotally disposed between each pair of arms 42; and iskronnectcdat itsiupper end to a. vertically movable frame work 47, the'purwheels 48 is associated with each airof.

arms 43, these gear wheels 48 being a so car-' ried by the aforesaid frame 47. Each pai invention, I provide breaking .mechanism crate ;i1 nlependently. difiiculties encountered [by'one breakn'ig 'llltClltlIllSlll are not neces I consider. it to be broadly new with me to.

.vention. I' employ the breaking mechanism breaking mechanisms or breakers located..-

extending books 4* that have :acommon pose of which framewvill be more tnlly 'ln3re1n-aftr set forth. A pair-of spur gear 7 990,487 a i I of gear wheels 48 is in mesh with a pinion 4}) common thereto, which pinion is driven by a motor-50, there being preferably "one motor for each pinion 49', in order that .the"

breakers may be "individually-f controlled.

Thegearii'ig' which I have illustrated is more for the sake of rendering clear the operation of inyinachine, though it'is 'obvious that the nature of the gearing may be changed to suit individual circumstances, and this IS true with respect to all of the gearing showniii the apparatus. When the breakers'are'in operation, the points of the claws 45 are caused to follow the path indicated by the dotted line 51 in Fig. 13, the direction in \rhichthe points of the claws 45travel'being indicated by the arrows placed close to said line 51. 'The breakers are thus caused to act somewhat as-pieks, thereby etteetirelyloosening and-breaking all-ground that is'adapt- M ed to be broken, preparing the saiiie forie moral by the groand-removing mechanism which will later be described and which is located at the rear of the machine. By

causing the points of the claws to travel as indicated, not only may the ground be broken. but the forward progress of the entirenia'ehine will thereby be assisted. "If it 'opei'atlllgthe breakers butvwill not rupture the breakers if'said breakers encounter inaterial that is too refractory. hlore'ovetQ the workman who attends to the breakers; will immediately notice any al'i'uormal operating condition thereof, and \'lll stop the operation of the associate uiotors,"orotherwise remore driving poii'er'from the breakers." 'lhe obstarle e:ieouiitere(1 may be such that it can be removed by repeated elt'orts of the breakers aiul to this end the driving tllOtOlh -ut the breakers engaging the obstacle may be reversed toreVerse theoperationof the 'l he framework 47 constituting tl fe car.- rier tot-"the breakers, 1 the operating gearing 4849 andf the motors 50, is adapted .fpr ver "that the br'eakers may be adjusted to suit tirelevel of theground overwhich the machi-net isfoperating; For this purpose I providea motor '52 whose shaft 53 operates gearing that couples the shaft 53 in driving relation with rack'bars 55 carried by the frame 47.' If theobstacle encountered by a breaker or breakersis too heavy to be removed by the soil-removing mechanism, or not ilislodg'eable by the breakers, 1 then "have. recourse -to grappling mechanism Y \vl iehis normally out of operation but which a dapt ed to be movedfto different parts of the machine, in order that it maybe effective to remove the obstacle and to discharge the, same out ofthe path of the soil-removing mechanism. "This" grappling mechanismis desirably of the construction illustrated most clearly in" Fig. '9 and generally shown in Figs, 1,- 3 'an'd 5. It includes a rack beam that is adapted to bemoved vertically by meansofH-gearing 57' :Lthat 'is' interposed between the; rack .beam '56 and a a motor 58. At the lower end of the/beam 56 is provided-a pair ofgr'appling jaws 59 that are hinged to the beam. "These gr'appl'in 0 jaws may be-of any wellknowntype-1on5 may be opera'ted in any well known way; I h we indicated, "for sake of illustration, ,op-

crating cables 60 that pass over suitable sheaves and. are suitably coup1ed= with the grappling jaws as to-z-eileet their operation,

these cables "beingtjpassed over winding drums .61 that are 0 erated 1 by: motors-.162. The'beam 56 passes tro'nghf't-he floo'rfl63of. a truck, \vhich' floor also-supports as'guide G4, the floor, 63 anduguide confining-the beam 56 to verticalmovement."iThettruck of which the I floor 63 forms a, vpart has wheels 65 that ride uponitracks 66 that-extend transversely. of the main frame work, wherebysaid truck maybe-moved cross-wise of the machine "to enableithcgrappling jaws 59 to he'- movcd -from' 'sideito sideof themechine. The lat'erally disposed tracks" 66, in; turn, are ca ried upon a. truck-367: itliati is provided with ivlieels 68 that may rblh i'pon the longitudinal rails 1 2" extending::length-=- wise and forming apartofthe main irame By the provision'ot this latter "truclga' the gra pplers' may be moved'lengthwise, of fthe machinet'the forward limit of travel being deteru'iined by the frame 'work' 47, while the extent to which the grapplcrs'maybe moved to the rear is-determined by:meansrofjthe A transverselydisposed frame member 8 =10- eated at the rear'oftheqniachineQ"Theextent to which the grappling"mechanism may travel lon 'gitudinally upon the machine is sufficient tocnable it to do its ordinary work without"modifying the progress "of' the 'ex-.

eavating outfit. 1 :When the; grappling jaws are in vertical line with thelobstaclefthat is to he removed; they are lowertadythe 'obstacle is grappled,'aiidlthe grappling jaws are then raised; wherea'ftertheobstacle is -arried by the grappling :jaws and. dis; charged at a place out "ofxli'ne with the "soil-.

removing mecha'iiisui.'

The soil re.in'oviugmechanismthat I em ploy preferably isof'the kind; illustrated most clearly in'zFigs. '15; *16-and'; 17- and illustrated geiif'eral'l y in Figs. 2,' 4 and 6.' In the particular soil -.rem'ovn'ig iii'echanism that I ventioii; l e n'ip'loyra movable-frame 69 that is providedfwith vertically disposed racks .have illustrated; but. to which I do not wish i to belimitedin allembodimentsoflthe in- Ttlwhich may be engaged by driving pinions l tionary with respect to said frame, the

71 that a re operated by a shaft 72 driven by a motor 73 in gear with said shaft 72. By means of the pnnons 71 the frame (39 may be moved vertically to determnie the position of the shovel 74 .with respectto the soil,

The nose of the-shovel is n'iargined by .a

number of horizontally disposed teeth 75 that are worked wit iin the soil, while the portion of the shovel blade tothe rear of i links 79 oscillatin the shovel about this o pivotal connection. It sometimes happens that material is encountered by the shovel that. does not readily yield to the shoveling action, and in. order-to prevent the shovel 1 structure from becomingbroken, I provide the heavy springs S8 in order that the shore! the teeth 75 is upwardly inclined. The shovel has side walls76, so as to constitute, with the sloping bottom of the shovel, a

channel through which the soil is passed in i may yield when itencounters superior r sistanee.

As has been stated, the lloor'oflthe hovel is in the main inclined with respec horizontal, the soil that is eiug removed {by the shovel passing upwardlyn.) on the the n-ocess of its removal. the rear of the 1 shovel being open so-that the soil nay pass 1 therefrom and be deposited upon a con-i veyer 7? leading to a'suitable point of dis t charge hereinafter to be more particularly described.

inclined bottom of the shovel and t trough the open upper rear end of the shovel, whence it may be deposited upon a shit able couveyer, preferablythat illustrated clearly in Figs. 2. -l. t. 15, it). 17 and BI-i.

'lhe couveyer slmwn in these figures 1s pret'- S5.

The shovel T4; is agitated in;

order thatit may dislodge the soil, this agitation being desirable inasmuch as thef bodily travel of the man-e apparatus iscomparatively slow. To this end, I connect the Ht) that are'linkcd together in an endless movable frame 69 by means of links 78 that portion of the shovel near its teeth with the are pivotally connected at their upper ends vith vertical members of the frame '69 and are plvota'l'lyeonnected at their lower ends near the nose'or-bottom of the shovel .74.

' The upperand rear portion of the shovel which oscillating motion; is,

branch 82 of the fork carries a cam relation 83 that travels within a am-way or groove- 84 provided -in a rotatiugcam structure 85. The cam structuics'bii are fixed upon a-shaft '86 common to the'cam st ructures.- wlneh cam is driven by a motor 87 in-gearing relation with said shaft; It -will be observedthat the cam structures 85 rotate, as viewed m Fig. 15, in a clm.-.k wise direction, the camways tst being so shaped that the upper and rear end of the shovel is elevatedgradually and is peruntted to descend suddenly.

1 By means of'lhe structure that has bcein described, the upper and rear portion of the shovel has greater range of movement than does the nose porl|on of the shovel, where the movement is almost all owing. to the close proximity of the pivotal connection of the links with thesides of the. shovel. The links are backedby'hcavy springs, 88 that. normally hold the links 80 stationary with respect to.the, l'rametit). and. therefore. atl'ord a pivotal connection for the shovel .74 with the frame fittthat .i s |'ior|uall v stacrably formed of symmetrically arranged duplicated structures. as appears mostclearly in Figsfilti and ti. Each of these duplicated structures includes a group of buckets .chain, the buckets in the upper stretch of '1 provide asprocket wheel 92, such as that I indicated iu'Fig. .'.l. with which sprocket.

chains 94 (suitably coupled with the buckets illustrated in Fig. 2 a motor 95 that is in gear relation with a shaft 91. upon wlnch the upper sprocket wheels for both bucket chainsare mounted. in Fig. 17 I have indicated two sprocket chains 97 for-each bucket chain that includes the bueketsSS), these sprocket chains tli-engagingthe sprocket wheels. The links of the sprocket chains do not' desirably directly engage the sprocket wheels 92,. the driving relationbetween the sprocket chains and the'sproclv'et wheels being preferably afforded by means of the wheels 90 that are co-axial with the pivotal connections between the links of the sprocket chains and which wheels'90 serve to su port the. buckets 89, the said wheels90 to ling upon the tracks '91 for this purpose. The upper stretches of-the bucket chains move upwardly toward the rear of theinac'hinc in order to discharge the soil that has been removed by the shaft and which has" become deposited upon .thc' bucket chains.

It is desirable-to maintain approximately a given relation between the bucketclmins.

that have been described and the shovel- 74,1,

to which end. l journal the lower shaft 98 upon arms 09 that extend rcm'wardly and.

downwardly from tl ie frame 09, sothatas sai'd frame is moved vertically, the shaft 0S.corres mndlngly mores vertically. "In'a's 5. .-n m cl1 as still rails 91 are employed, Ii prow v-idc means aihereby'the uppcr sprocket ,shait- 00 may be moved horizontally, to .,Which end the bearing 101 for the'shaft-lh'j ;.;is'adapte('l to slide longitudinally 'of' the '10, machine in suitable horizontal guide-uzrxsj 102. {It is obvious to those skilled ,in the art that a \fariety a: ways may be afforded. for disposing of the soil thatis -discharged by p the bucket chains that have been described.

- .lt'hougliin thepra'c ticing ofjmy invention I prefer the mechanism illustrated for disposq gofthe soil conveyed by said bucket chains. This mechanism-of my prefermcnt 2ofi's illustrated in ri s; 2,"'4," 6, 11and 12,

'.lwher e I haye'show'n bucket chains .103 that are s im ilar in, construction to the" bucket v chains leading upwardly from the shovel 74. iThe bucket chains 103 are desirably of con- 25.siderablelength, so that they may reachan 1, adjacent .bank, and in view o'fthe: material length of thesebucket chains 103 'l' desirably provide a vehicle for supportingaportion thereof renioved from the'jn'ain'niaehine.

a The yeliiele. which supports an outer ortion f' of the ehainsj103 is desirably of'suel afna tare; that. it not f only may travel upon 'tllladjacent;sho re, .bi1t. may also be; supported byalhod ofwater in which .tneaan-emm c ineisdisposed. This \fehiele is desirably of; the vconsjtruction illustrated most clearly v,in Figsifland 12', where I have shown-a general framework 104 thatcarries-bolster pins 105 iatits ends,lwhi'ch bolster pins af- -40. ford vertical axes of rotation for trucks 106 that are provided with tractionwheels' 1 07 -whiehvpreferably have the same construction H as t-hat illustrated in Fig. 8, whereby these traction wheels may. upon occasion buoy .ftlie outer portionslof the bueket ehains 103,

as,. for example, ivheirthe entire' 'inachine is 111 water. .It is particularly desirable to have the wheels 10.7 act as fio'ats, for it is a not so important to have the'se wheels 10? run upon the groundjvhen the entire ma chine is in water, "although it is very (1esir'-" able to hav'e the wheels 9 104-01141 )on the I I lile the structure oi the v Wheels ','107 is preferably i that which has been specified, I preferably 1 provide meansfor vadjusting the vertiealjpositionsiof thesewheels that'ditferffromi the; adjustingmechanisms for the wheels 9 10. 1 -'lo' this end, I 'iiioii nt tllefshaftlOS foreach 00 wheel 107.1ipon ajpa'ir' of ax-1115109 that are journaled at their u ppe ifjehds' to a portion .of the truck? 106. Y \elower'end'o'feach I; of the .arms"mil-terminates inasep'grnental' rack .I-l O thatis in engage nentwith worm' else: e

' whereby 'ii sithe suitable gear relation with the worm shaft '111. By rotation of -the worm'shafts 111, the loiver 'endsvof the arms 109'n1ay be moved up or down, thereby toad'ust the positions of the wheels lo'lyertically. [To permit of this. movement t-Zthe'armS-N aiid tl1e'-'shaft"'108, the side walls-of -,the truck 106 are proii-ided witlrslots 113 thatare com "centric with the'axes ofrotationof the arms 109, a long which slotsth'e sha ftsf 108 "may j. 7 5 be moved,- When"thejwheels- 107are to-act as traction wheels; they driven "by sprocket-fchainsjllQ thatpas over sprocket :whe'els 115 fixed 'x'v ith'i'relationto' the wheels 107 and sprocket wheels' llti ci'mceutrie'with the 'j axes of. rotationloffthei "arms 109,: the sprocket -wheels 116 bingfdri'i'en by I'noto'rs "117' that are in gearr relationfiwith lthe' sprocket wheels 116,-{the"-motoi"s 117 being carried upon'tl1e"trueks"106 -:-I ij-= The frame" ii'ork'f 103"earriesa. motor-118 that is in suitable gez ir' rela t ion 161m shaft- 1g. formed in sections. 119,11 20, 121-, 122-and "l23g'wliieh shaft 's'eetion's aregea'red together by ineanslof miter"gears; 124.* -E-'ll1eshaft sections 119'; 123 carry worni haft'sj 125 126 that are" in gearfrel'ation \xfitlrgwornr wheels ib'olster fpin s 105 'and gear w] eels 131 132 I t-= :to Qtllf truck's. 1106,

a 'iinohsjP1295130"are rotated, 'said'tru'cksf106i' rotated about their bolster' jpiiisflyhereby -ithekrotai'yi'- ositions of "sa idtrdeks are'j'ileteinii lied"au(l:}t ie 5 planes of rotation of the wheel's 107; are selected; so

"that said wheelsf f107 are, eansed to have aline'o'ftrriv'el parallel witli the line ofitra'vel of-jthe" main machine;irrespective-of the angle that the bucket elm-b15210?have to the main maeliine; i"it being faiiotlierl feature of "my invention to have: the angular, position ofthe'buelgetchains103 regulable-with' a res )ect .to' the main" machine, j-By means of the preferred embodiment ofjthe latter featture'o'f my inv ntion, Iianrefnabled to swing somewhat in excess ,of -o'ne'#hundred :eighty l 1l a .j'degrees; so that said bucket'iclmin m ex- T tend laterally on "on'e'-"side o fthe mam-"ma- "chineorftheo'therside'io i tion; tlilo' lieariiigf 101 amasnppiaexms 'Sha'fi I 65 frame work, so thattheangularrelationship 1; 3o '-Ichains 1031i) oc'cupy'angnlar positlonswith angles within suitable limits topermit the n iet-stood i that; Lthe" I the bucket chain 89 is an integral part a 134 to support the inner end of! the bucket chain'l03, this inner end of the bucket chain 103bei'ng desirably located ust to'the rear of the bucket chain '89 and beneath the same, so that the materialconveyed by the chain 1' 89 may be dro n'ied iipon the chain 103. A E bracket 135 supports asha'ft llfi'tlmt carries In four sproeket wheels which are indriving relation with the ch'ains'103, the relationsl'iip I of the chains 103 to thcseTsprrmketwheels j beiin similar to the relation of the chains i S9 to their driving. sprocket wheels-which has been described; Theshaft l36-is driven by a sprocket chain 137 that is, in turn} driven by a shaft-138 driven by a motor 139 infsuitable gear relation with the shaft 138. i Tlhdohterend of the chains 103 is positivel driven as well as the. inner ends-of said chains, a sprocket chain Ht) driven by the.

shaft 138 being in driving relation with a shaft 1-H. at the outer end of'the chains'l03- through the :agency 'of sprocket wheels engagin j he chains 103, as will bewell m der stood, The bracket li-h'rat theinner-emls of 'theehainslOri'has a ball and socket cdnn'ec "tion 142 with the ln'a'cketarm I34, wherebyf"the' l;racl (et.15,5 may'be swung to permit the r'espect to the 'i'nainlframe off the. machine or to pcrn'iit' the" chains 103'to trail behind the I main trame'of theinachine'fand also to peri'nit the chains 103 to be tilted-fat; varying wheels 1 07 to rise-and fall according to the A level of"tlie "gro.und upon which "they roll. The grit, 'i pling meel anisin may reach the conveyor. 10-; in all of the'positions ot-said,

' veyer the material removed by the grapplin mechanism ,from' the path of "the-- shove mechanism. f W lien it; d esir edtoehaiigethe angular i" lat'ion of the bucket; chains 1Q3'witlr re- .Espectto the main frame of the machine, such change may be; etl'eeted' by vzn'ryinQiithesped orgum wheels10 7 with respect; to the speed fot the main tractionjwheels t),'10, it"being i -wicks ltltra're simulta-' turneilfinfi r'that' the wheels 10'? la'pteilfto the? l tQY -llllfiii of travel" ran-seq r i ollow' I til shifting "i'ysaid clinins'when YI'hesd operations .w thont putting undue 1,42 Qnoeeasion r, artin assisting progress, particularl y r ism 103' trails bein" ai timenice-am work'143 tliat si'ipjzorts t lesions .136 141- is rigid with respect; to' their supporting r of the chains 103 to. the frame is fixed. The 'brac'ketl33 that affords a horizontal shelfmrirann-s.10-: and H1, together with the parts carried thereby and associated therewith,

'n'lav be )rovidettwith a verticall movable tlntation tank or float 1-H: which is shown in Fi It in its ll]')l)(l'l'l10$t position. This Lo'tation tankis provided with four upright rack bars 145 that are rigid with respect to the-flotation .tank, and by vertical movement:

of which the vertical position of the flota-' tion tank with respect to tlle'fran'ie parts IOt-and 1-4; may be determined. The rack bars H5 areinovetl vertically by means of pnnons 1 :16 that are provided upon the shafts 147 that are in suitable gear relation port the structure under description in-case the wheels 1064' ride clear of supporting ground.

Forsake of convenience of illustration. I-

have onlyf'diagra'matically indicated the various motors that operate the different; mechanisms, it, being understood that'there are several operators in charge, each having a class of work to govern.

may be of any suital'ile type. 1 prefer eleccurrent furnished by a power plant carried by the =lH5l(7lllllL., \\'lll(.ll power plant is indicated Ill Fig. 1, where l. have diagrammatieally indicated channels it!) operated by steam engines 130 which are supplied with steam from a steam source which need not;

be indicated. (Jul-rent is led from t 'era'ltors H1) t'od'he various motors that have been lI|CIlt'l(HlL'\'l.'

It. would make the drawings too complicated to illustrate-tluwiring and the various 'inotor-controlling devices which are so well understood as to make their illustration sufl t;- will be seen that eachpoint of contact;

'ol'xt'lie machine with the ground is in action,

wlu-reby the progress of. the machine is not These motors retarded ,butQis. promoted, there being no i passive dragging parts. i V

'A n '-importal |t featur of my' present inventtion resides in the provision ofthe cleats 1l'u pon the sixtraction wheels that I have described, these cleats desirably being suitieiently broadso that they may act as' pad- -.dles in the. water; to propel the machine whenthe traction wheels are clear of the 7 water bottom. I Thea-p )aratus of my invention is particularly wel adapted to the digging of channels thatare to have uniform depths, as will 

